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Efimova
Natalia Vladimirovna
20 years of experience
District doctor-therapist of the first category
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Adenoviral infection is a pathological process that occurs when an adenovirus (Adenoviridae) enters the human body. The disease is accompanied by damage to the respiratory system, eyes, gastrointestinal tract and lymphatic system. Infected patients suffer from intoxication, fever, loss of voice, cough, and intestinal disorders. The diagnosis is made based on the clinical picture of the disease and the results of laboratory tests. During the treatment process, adults and children receive antiviral drugs, immunomodulators and drugs that relieve acute symptoms of infection.
General information about pathology
Adenovirus belongs to the group of respiratory viral infections. The course of the disease is complicated by conjunctivitis, nasopharyngitis, lymphadenopathy, and dyspeptic syndrome. The share of adenoviral infections in the overall structure of ARVI reaches 20%.
The risk group includes patients aged six months to three years. Almost all preschool children have been infected with adenovirus at least once. The pathology does not have a pronounced seasonality: the incidence rate remains stable throughout the year. Treatment of the disease is carried out under the supervision of a pediatrician and otolaryngologist.
Adenoviral conjunctivitis in adults: how to prevent occurrence
There is no 100% protection against adenoviral conjunctivitis. However, there are a number of measures that can help reduce the risk of infection. These include maintaining good hygiene and strengthening the immune system.
Don't forget that adenoviral conjunctivitis spreads quickly. If you find symptoms of conjunctivitis in yourself or your loved ones, limit contact with other people. The patient must have his own cutlery, towel and other hygiene products. It would be good if it was possible to give him a separate room. The room should be regularly ventilated and wet cleaned.
It is worth noting that not only close contact with a sick person can lead to infection. Sometimes being in the same room with him is enough.
Treatment of adenoviral disease must be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. There is no vaccine for adenoviral conjunctivitis, but doctors are well aware of this disease, so they can prescribe effective treatment that will help you recover quickly and avoid complications.
Reasons for the development of pathology
Virologists have identified three dozen pathogens belonging to the Adenoviridae family. Infectious agents are adapted to long-term survival in unfavorable conditions and tolerate freezing temperatures and low environmental humidity. The DNA of pathogens is destroyed by ultraviolet radiation and chlorine-based chemicals.
Infected patients spread pathogens by secreting nasopharyngeal mucus. A significant number of viral agents are contained in feces. The main routes of infection for healthy people are airborne and fecal-oral. Swimming pool visitors can become infected after contact with water in which a carrier of the pathogen has swam.
A patient who has had an adenovirus infection is immune to a certain type of virus. A child or adult may become ill again when exposed to a carrier of a different Adenoviridae serotype. A similar mechanism of transmission of adenovirus from person to person is typical for nosocomial infections.
Prevalence and routes of infection
Most often, adenoviruses enter the body by airborne droplets, that is, in the usual way for any virus from the ARVI group. Much less often, infection occurs through contact. The child played with a sick friend's toy and then rubbed his eyes - a standard infection scenario.
In fact, the human body must protect itself from an infectious disease; immunity comes to the rescue. But in fact, weakened by the cold season, the child’s local immunity is not able to resist the virus at the main entry gate. General immunity, due to age, is also not sufficiently resistant to viral infection. This is where the statistics show that children get sick much more often than adults.
Adenoviruses account for about 17% of all cases of acute respiratory diseases. Considering that there are more than 100 viral pathogens, and that there are also bacterial pathogens, the figure on a general scale is impressive2.
Almost always, adenovirus infection occurs in the form of an epidemic outbreak, that is, a group of children in contact with each other is affected. The virus can spread throughout the body, diligently multiplying, within 1-3 weeks.
Symptoms of pathology
Symptoms of adenovirus entering the human body are specific and depend on the form the infection has taken. If the respiratory tract is damaged, pharyngitis, tonsillopharyngitis and bronchitis can develop. If the infection penetrates the tissues of the conjunctiva, patients suffer from pharyngoconjunctival fever and acute conjunctivitis. The entry of viruses of the Adenoviridae family into the intestinal mucosa provokes the development of diarrhea syndrome.
Patients may experience mild, moderate, or severe disease. In some cases, the pathology is complicated by the addition of a secondary infection. The incubation period lasts from five to seven days. Upon completion, the patient feels a sharp increase in body temperature (up to 38–39 degrees). Later, typical signs of adenovirus infection appear:
- decreased appetite;
- apathy, lethargy;
- muscle and joint pain;
- fever;
- dehydration.
The listed symptoms of adenovirus develop in children and adults within several hours after the temperature rises. Without treatment, patients' condition quickly deteriorates.
Treatment methods for adenovirus infection
Treatment of adenovirus infection is carried out at home, except in cases of severe disease or development of complications. Since adenovirus infection is a contagious disease, the patient must be isolated (it is especially important to exclude the possibility of contact with children).
In most cases, adenovirus infection resolves within a week. A runny nose can last up to 3 weeks.
It is worth remembering that complications in children, especially young children, can develop very quickly. Therefore, in case of any increase in symptoms (deterioration in the child’s well-being, coughing, complaints of ear pain, etc.), it is necessary to consult a doctor.
Bed rest
During the period of elevated temperature, the patient must be provided with bed rest. It is not recommended to bring down a low-grade fever.
Symptomatic treatment
Since the disease is caused by a virus, antibiotics are not used (they do not work against viruses). The use of antibiotics is appropriate only in case of complications (if a bacterial infection has joined the viral infection). Treatment of adenovirus infection is symptomatic. The doctor will prescribe medications that relieve inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, eliminate nasal congestion and symptoms of conjunctivitis.
Taking vitamin supplements
Vitamins, primarily vitamin C, are prescribed as general strengthening therapy.
Make an appointment Do not self-medicate. Contact our specialists who will correctly diagnose and prescribe treatment.
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Conjunctival damage
Reproduction of viruses in the tissues of the conjunctiva leads to the development of conjunctivitis of various forms: catarrhal, follicular and membranous. The pathological process begins to develop in one eye, but gradually affects the second. Patients complain of pain, burning, and foreign body sensation. An ophthalmological examination reveals redness and swelling of the skin of the eyelids. In some cases, doctors record the formation of a dense whitish film on the conjunctiva. Advanced adenovirus infection is complicated by keratitis.
Immunofluorescence
The immunofluorescence reaction - RIF allows you to identify certain antigens based on the processing of the test material, namely scrapings from the mucous membrane of the genitourinary tract. The advantage of this method is its simplicity and speed of obtaining results (within an hour). The accuracy limits are 60-80%, which requires additional research. As a rule, RIF is carried out in combination with another method - immune electron microscopy (IEM) of viruses treated with specific antibodies.
Treatment of pathology
The medication course prescribed by doctors against the background of a confirmed diagnosis is based on antiviral drugs. Inpatient or outpatient treatment of people suffering from adenovirus involves the prescription of eye drops, ointments (applied to the eyelid), antipyretics and antitussives. If the respiratory system is affected, the patient will require regular inhalations and expectorants. Treatment of complicated adenovirus in children and adults may require the use of antibiotics.
Diagnostics
Symptoms of adenovirus infection in children are a reason to seek treatment from specialists at the CELT multidisciplinary clinic. Before prescribing certain treatment and rehabilitation measures, a clinical and laboratory examination is carried out, which will allow diagnosing the disease.
In addition, our specialists carry out differential diagnostics that allow us to distinguish adenoviral infection from:
- flu;
- diphtheria of the pharynx;
- other diseases.
The results of the diagnostic search become the key to adequately prescribing therapy and obtaining the desired result.
Forecast and preventive measures
With an uncomplicated course of the disease, patients achieve complete recovery in five to seven days. A complicated form of adenoviral infection may require hospitalization of a child or adult. In this case, the recovery time increases by 1.5–2 times.
If there is a sharp increase in adenovirus infection in kindergartens or schools, doctors recommend specific prevention. Virus carriers must be referred for outpatient or inpatient treatment. All premises of educational institutions should be treated with antiseptic solutions.
Why do adenovirus infections most often affect children?
During the first 6 months of life, children practically do not suffer from adenovirus infection. This is due to the fact that at this age children have passive immunity, inherited from their mother. Then innate immunity is lost, and children begin to get sick.
Until the age of 7 years, a child manages to get sick with adenovirus infection several times. Each time the body develops specific immunity to a specific type of adenovirus, but since there are several of them, the child has to get sick more than once. After 7 years, as a rule, they already have acquired immunity to all types of adenoviruses, and they are no longer afraid of adenovirus infection.
Over time, immunity is lost, so adenovirus infections can also affect adults.
Features of adenovirus
The main line of defense against pathogens is immunity, the structures of which recognize and destroy pests. But the insidiousness of the adenovirus is that it can hide inside a damaged cell for a long time without showing itself. For example, in some carriers, the adenovirus safely exists in the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx, and the owner is not aware of it. In this state, the virus is inaccessible to cells of the immune system. However, more often the activity of the pathogen is observed, in which it gradually destroys cells. First, the functions of the affected cell are blocked, and clear symptoms of the disease appear. Then the activity of the virus decreases, the cell tries to return to normal and improvement occurs. And after some time, the virus begins to act again, and signs of the disease appear again. This cycle can be repeated several times, in particular until the cell is completely destroyed by the pathogen. And only then do the antibodies reach the already available adenoviruses.
